The American Dialect Society elects WOTTIES* (Words of the Year) in six categories, beyond the WOTY (Word of the Year) Winner of them all category. Below, the American Dialect Society WOTTIES (indicated with an asterisk), including shortlists, in the Society’s
six surveyed categories: 1. Political word of the year, 2. Most useful/Most likely
to succeed, 3. Slang / Informal word of the year, 4. Most creative, 5. Euphemism of the
year and 6. Digital Word of the Year.
(1) WOTTIES - Acronym, rhymes with "potty". Plural of WOTY - Word Of The Year.
References
American Dialect Society
https://www.americandialect.org/
POLITICAL WORD OF THE YEAR
- * quid pro quo: exchange of favors (central to Trump/Ukraine impeachment scandal)
- #IMPOTUS: derogatory reference to Trump (IMPeached President Of The United
States)
- squad: nickname for four House Democrats (Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Omar,
Pressley, Tlaib)
- Trumpschmerz: suffering induced by constant updates about the Trump administration
MOST USEFUL/MOST LIKELY TO
SUCCEED
- * ok boomer: retort to someone older expressing out-of-touch or condescending
views
- plant-based: made from plants, for food products marketed as meat alternatives
- stan: to be devoted or enthusiastic about
- zoomer: member of Generation Z
SLANG/INFORMAL WORD OF THE
YEAR
- * and I oop-: catchphrase of VSCO girls, expressing shock, surprise, or embarrassment (first used by drag queen Jasmine Masters)
- hot girl summer: a call to live one’s best life (after Houston rapper Megan Thee
Stallion)
- zaddy: gender-neutral variation of “daddy” for an attractive older person with money
MOST CREATIVE
- * nobody: phrasal template mocking someone providing an unsolicited opinion
- (X)-curious: interested in something
- gerrymeandering: drawing convoluted congressional district lines for political gain
- sksksk: keysmash exclamation, expressing laughter, awkwardness, or amazement
EUPHEMISM OF THE YEAR
- * people of means: rich people (used by Starbucks executive Howard Schultz)
- freedom gas/molecules of
U.S. freedom: natural gas (used by Energy Dept.
officials)
- Heckboy: Hellboy (used on the marquee of a Tennessee movie theater)
- self-partnered: single (used by Emma Watson)
DIGITAL WORD OF THE YEAR
- * im
: emoji representation of “impeach” 
: facts (pun on “fax machine” emoji)
- VSCO girl: young woman who posts trendy pictures of herself on the VSCO photo app
(1) WOTTIES - Acronym, rhymes with "potty". Plural of WOTY - Word Of The Year.
References
American Dialect Society
https://www.americandialect.org/
2019 Word of the Year is “(My) Pronouns, ” Word of the
Decade is Singular “They” as voted by American Dialect Society. American Dialect Society Press Release,
Jan 2, 2020
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